Before long, Fino, who had been eagerly thinking about the gear robot, arrived at the grocery store with his mother. The little boy rushed in excitedly, while Fino’s mother wore a helpless expression.
"Hey, Dairya."
As soon as Fino entered the grocery store and saw the engrossed Dairya reading a book, he greeted her amicably, but unfortunately, she completely ignored him.
It seed Fino was already accustod to Dairya’s reclusive nature, so he paid no mind and imdiately picked up the gear robot.
"Mom, pay for it!"
Fino’s mother gave her child a slightly exasperated look, then smiled at Tang Ye and asked, "Mr. Pillay, how much is this?"
Tang Ye thought for a mont and casually gave a price according to the local market.
"A total of thirty thousand pesos."
"Hmm?" After hearing Tang Ye’s words, Fino’s mother was taken aback, and the hand she had reached into her wallet paused.
"Thirty thousand pesos? Mr. Pillay, I think you’ve misspoken. This thing shouldn’t be that expensive."
"Then, ma’am, what price do you have in mind for this item?"
"At most twenty thousand pesos!"
"Then, ma’am, you can have it at that price."
"Huh?" Fino’s mother was stunned and gave Tang Ye a strange look, unable to comprehend what he ant.
In the end, she paid and left with Fino. Tang Ye opened the door for them and watched them leave. The store finally quieted down. Accustod to the store’s bleak business, Tang Ye felt no more custors would co.
Sitting back in his chair, Tang Ye continued to listen to the gentle lody from the music box. Inside, Dairya remained as isolated from the world as yesterday, silently engrossed in "Hepney’s Dream Forest."
Tang Ye did not disturb her. The rays of the setting sun shone into the store, creating a warm and peaceful atmosphere accompanied by the music from the music box.
The main character had arrived, and since Tang Ye was a bit bored, he listened to the music while occasionally glancing at Dairya. She held a static pose, showing no changes. If not for the pulsating aura around her, Tang Ye would have thought she was a statue.
Ti ticked away, and without realizing it, Tang Ye glanced outside. The slant of the sunset suggested it was around seven o’clock. The sky grew darker, and the western clouds beca more vivid. At this mont, Dairya finally returned to reality, closed her book, and stared at the cover listlessly. Her eyes were filled with reluctance, and after more than ten seconds, she put the book back.
"Thank you for your generosity, Mr. Pillay."
"Leaving already?"
"Yes."
"It’s getting dark. Be careful."
"I will."
After nodding to Tang Ye, Dairya gathered her things and opened the store’s door. In the next mont, Tang Ye suddenly called out to her.
"Wait a mont."
"Mr. Pillay?"
"Hmm..." Tang Ye hesitated for a mont, and then said, "Do you know about the Perpetual Motion Law?"
"Perpetual Motion Law?" Dairya looked confused, then quickly shook her head at Tang Ye, saying, "Sorry, I don’t understand what you an."
Seeing her expression, Tang Ye raised an eyebrow. Her reaction seed genuine, like that of anyone encountering unfamiliar vocabulary.
It seed that here, there was no so-called Perpetual Motion Law, and people weren’t constrained by those strange rules.
"It’s nothing, go ahead. Don’t keep your parents waiting." Tang Ye waved his hand, and Dairya nodded politely to him again. However, in that mont, Tang Ye noticed sothing strange in her expression as if she wanted to say sothing but decided against it.
"... Well... Mr. Pillay, goodbye..."
"Goodbye."
Tang Ye watched her silhouette disappear around the corner of the garden and vanish down the street, leaving him to ponder his unanswered questions.
"What does it an..." To avoid raising Dairya’s guard, Tang Ye chose not to ask directly. His aim was to gain Dairya’s goodwill, so he had to be cautious of actions that might tarnish his image in her mind.
Night ca swiftly, and as expected, Tang Ye still couldn’t rest. He felt as though he were still an ordinary zombie, surrounded by the flesh of living beings, unable to sleep, rely sitting on his bed with closed eyes to rest while his mind raced with various thoughts.
The transition between the inner and outer worlds hadn’t occurred, and the surrounding silence made him increasingly suspicious that sothing had happened with Lu Xiaojie. At least, in his opinion, a confrontation between Lu Xiaojie and the Zombie King shouldn’t be this quiet.
He idly tossed a few eyes into the neighbor’s house next door to check on their situation, only to find, to his dull disappointnt, that he alone couldn’t sleep in this entire world while everyone else slumbered peacefully.
Though the long night was hard to endure, in the fleeting mont it passed, ti seed to fly by. The little door on the cuckoo clock atop the cabinet swung open with a "pop," and the "cuckoo cuckoo" sound reached his ears once more.
Tang Ye went downstairs, flipped the open sign, and unlocked the store’s door. Several schoolchildren greeted Tang Ye when they saw him.
"Good morning, Mr. Pillay."
"Good morning."
"Mr. Pillay..."
It was unclear how many tis he’d heard "Mr. Pillay" that morning. Tang Ye felt his ears were growing calluses, yet he responded politely to everyone, including the neighbors on both sides. He wished to conclude this botherso greeting ritual quickly, but the steady stream of acquaintances made him grit his teeth and respond to each one.
Finally, after exchanging "good morning" with the boy called Fino from the previous day, Dairya’s figure erged on the opposite side of the street. This ti, Tang Ye wanted to remain silent and pretend not to know her to avoid any surprises. Yet, unexpectedly, while passing the small garden in front of the store, she veered and walked into the shop.
"You..." Tang Ye attempted to get her attention, but Dairya completely ignored him, heading straight to the back where the books were displayed and standing dazedly in front of "Hepney’s Dream Forest."
Tang Ye noticed her spirit wasn’t in good shape, seemingly from a poor night’s sleep. He stayed at the store’s entrance, silently watching her without interrupting. After a while, she shifted her gaze to Tang Ye, but the pleading look in her eyes left him bewildered.
"Mr. Pillay, please... please help keep this book! I beg you... I... I swear... I’ll buy it with money! Please... trust !"
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